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Autonomous drone systems hold the promise of vastly more efficient, faster and
cheaper delivery. Today, Mercedes-Benz Vans unveiled its Vision Van, showcasing a
new end-to-end platform for last-mile delivery, featuring a fully automated cargo
management system and Matternet delivery drones. Matternet developed the
technology that is integrated into the roof of the van, allowing for precision landing
and automatic payload and battery exchange. Matternet’s cloud technology is
integrated with Mercedes-Benz’s van routing software, allowing end-to-end control of
the supply chain. The first project bringing this vision into reality is “Vans and
Drones” (see video here).
“In Mercedes-Benz Vans, we found a partner that is not only synonymous with
quality, safety, reliability and efficiency, but is also willing to imagine and create the
future of transportation with us,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, co-founder and CEO of
Matternet. “We are driven by a common vision to automate last-mile logistics, which
today is the least efficient and most expensive part of logistics. Through this
partnership, we are building solutions that will dramatically reduce the time and cost
of on-demand delivery.”
“With our Vision Van, we are going beyond the vehicle,” said Volker Mornhinweg,
head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “We have been working closely with Matternet to
create the world’s first fully connected and automated cargo van with integrated
delivery drones. Matternet is a trusted partner, and we are looking forward to what we
can accomplish together.”
Matternet has developed a complete solution for automated aerial logistics that
enables customers to implement and grow modular networks of any size to meet
their needs. The company not only offers a fully autonomous aerial vehicle, but
combines it with a sophisticated cloud system for automatic route planning,
monitoring and analytics.
Matternet’s drone and cloud technology were developed and designed with safety as
a key objective. Its autonomous delivery network is the safest solution available, with
certifications from leading aviation authorities around the world, including NASA and
the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation. Its system is designed to enable flight over
urban, populated areas, not just rural and sub-urban. The drone is equipped with a
redundant flight termination system that deploys a parachute automatically if needed,
and uses intelligent software to ensure that the vehicle never diverges by more than 5
meters (16.4 feet) from its pre-authorized path. Flight paths are automatically
generated in approved airspace by Matternet’s cloud system using terrain, airspace
and population-density models to plan the safest routes.
About Matternet
Matternet is the leading developer of autonomous drone logistics systems. The
company’s complete solution for automated aerial logistics enables customers to
implement and grow modular networks of any size at the scale of
their needs. Matternet has partnerships with some of the world’s most trusted
organizations including Mercedes-Benz Vans, Swiss Post, Swiss WorldCargo,
UNICEF, World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders. For more
information about Matternet, please visit: https://mttr.net
Metris), the division's worldwide product portfolio includes the Mercedes-Benz Citan
urban delivery van. Mercedes-Benz Vans is also represented in the private segment
with the V-Class MPV and the Marco Polo and Marco Polo ACTIVITY travel vans. The
division has a total of nine production locations: in Germany, Spain, the USA,
Argentina, China (joint venture with Fujian Benz Automotive Co., Ltd), France
(strategic alliance with Renault-Nissan) and Russia (partnerships with GAZ and
YaMZ). To date, the main markets have been in Western Europe, accounting for a
total of 65 percent of unit sales in 2015.